Leads tender

ABSTRACT

The leads tender comprises a rotatably and biasingly mounted drum and a support having a number of legs. Each of the legs terminates in anchor means extended outwardly of the drum. A line is wound upon the drum and includes means for attachment to external leads of an independently movable apparatus.

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1892 Schneidert.......... 2,303,002 11/1942 Ruddock inventor Michael Hajduk RD. 1, Fayette City, Pa. 15438 75 1,842

[21] Appl. No. [22] Filed w iw m mu 4MW4 2 2 3,247,934 4/1966 Goode........ 3,366,344 1/1968 Smithetal..

Primary Examiner-Nathan L. Mintz Aug. 12, 1968 Patented Feb. 2, 1971 Att0rneyBuell, Blenko and Ziesenheim LEADS TENDER .We ""0 F mmm g m m n .l H N W u n m m m 0 Wm 6 H s mmw m Us L m a m 1 m t-u l Urn-F 11 ill] 4 2 0 5 555 .l rl.l.rt

ABSTRACT: The leads tender comprises a rotatably and biasingly mounted drum and a support having a number of legs. Each of the legs terminates in anchor means extended outwardly of the drum. A line is wound upon the drum and includes means for attachment to external leads of an independently movable apparatus.

56 6M mum 4h 2 B LEADS TENDER The present invention relates to leads tenders and more particularly to a tender of the character described arranged for use in tensioning or otherwise controlling slack in cables, flexible conduits or other leads frequently used in connection with mobile equipment. My invention is especially adapted for controlling the slack in leads to automatic mining machinery.

Although the invention is described primarily in connection with deep or shaft type mines and with automatic mining machinery of the type employed therein, it will be evident as this description proceeds that the disclosed leads tender is capable of general usage.

In the operation of automatic mining machinery a predetermined amount of slack is required in the water hose and electric connections or leads extending to the mining machine from sources of power at the mouth of the mine shaft or other suitable location. A requisite amount of slack is dictated by movements of the automatic mining machine as it is maneuvered to and fro relative to a mine face or pillar. From such movements it is apparent that a considerable amount of excess or slack in the leads is necessary to accommodate these movements without unduly tensioning or otherwise damaging the leads to the machine.

In many cases, the automatic mining machine of necessity is crawler-mounted. When withdrawing the machine there is considerable likelihood of backing the machine over the electric connections and other leads. This not only severs the leads but can create a severe shock hazard at the live, severed ends of electric connections. There is also a considerable risk that the slack leads may become entangled with other equipment in the mine or with jutting rocks or other debris in the mine shaft or work area as the machine is manipulated.

The difficulties of manipulating the slack portions of the machine leads to accommodate movements of the automatic mining machine are increased to a considerable extent when the machine is engaged in the final operation of removing supporting or interpassage pillars from the mine complex, or in other operations where the mining machine is compelled to make leftor right-hand turns during its operations. For these reasons, in conventional usage of automatic mining machines, a full time attendant for each machine has been required solely for the purpose of manipulating the slack portions of the machine leads in order to eliminate the possibility of backing the machine over the leads and to otherwise facilitate movements of the machine particularly when leftor right-hand turns are required.

I am aware of course that a number of leads or cable tending or storaging devices have been utilized in the past. Typical representations of such devices are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 1,408,838 to Schlbert; U.S. Pat. No. 2,458,573to Donahue; U.S. Pat. No. 959,486to Edmands; U.S. Pat. No. 1,643,725to Price; U.S. Pat. No. 2,355,148to Clay; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,935,080to Klimek. The aforementioned and similar devices are arranged for storaging electric leads and the like directly upon a drum or winch which is biased by counterweights or other suitable means. Because of the considerable length and sizes of the leads usually necessary in most automatic mining operations, it is impractical to storage the automatic mining machine leads in this fashion. The size of such storage devices, moreover, would militate against portability of such devices and prevent one of these known devices from being moved with the relatively rapidly moving mining machine.

I overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing novel leads tenders wherein slack leads portions can be controlled without the necessity of storaging a portion or all of the machine leads upon or in the leads tender. In particular, I dis close leads tending devices which are capable of restraining the otherwise slack portions of mining machine leads in such manner that the slack portions are maintained clear of the machine as it is moved while at the same time permitting limited movement of the slack portions in order to accommodate normal manipulation of the mining machine. The use of my leads tender therefore. eliminates the manual labor heretofore associated with this aspect of mining machine operation. My novel tending device is constructed for ready portability and can be transported without difficulty as the mining machine advances through the mine complex. In the operating position of the leads tender. however, a preferred construction of the device prevents the device from being displaced by the normal tensioning forces applied to the leads by movements of the mining machine or the like.

In those few cases wherein excessive tensioning forces may be applied to the slack portions of the machine leads by movements of the mining machine, means associated with certain forms of my novel leads tender are arranged for clamping the tender between the ceiling and floor of the mine.

I accomplish these desirable results by providing a leads tender comprising a rotatable drum, support means for rotatably and biasingly mounting said drum, a plurality of supporting legs, means for securing said legs to said support, each of said legs terminating in anchor means extending outwardly and adjacently of said drum, a length of line wound upon said drum, and means for attaching said line to the leads tended by said tender.

I also desirably provide a similar leads tender wherein each of said anchor means includes a pointed member for preventing dislodgement of said support.

I also desirably provide a similar tender wherein said tender includes a wheel-supported axle, and means are provided for rotatably mounting said axle upon said supporting legs.

I also desirably provide a similar tender wherein restraining means for said leads are mounted on at least one of said supporting legs.

I also desirably provide a similar tender wherein said tender is arranged for operation within a room having a ceiling, said support is an elongated upstanding member at an anchored position of said tender, and jack means are mounted on said support member for bearing engagement with said ceiling at said anchored position to increase the anchoring forces thereat.

During the foregoing discussion, various objects, features and advantages of the invention have been set forth. These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention together with structural details thereof will be elaborated upon during the forthcoming description of certain presently preferred methods of practicing the same.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have shown certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention and have illustrated presently preferred methods of practicing the same, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of leads tender arranged in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial rear elevational view of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 and taken along reference line IV-IV thereof;

FIG. 4A is a partial, similar view showing a modified tender cable guide; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another form of the tender arranged in accordance with the teachings of my inventron.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, an exemplary form of leads tender 10 shown therein includes a springloaded winch 12 having a storage drum l4 and supporting tube 16 containing drum shaft 18 and suitable spring or other tensioning devices 19. The drum 14 is of such capacity as to contain a requisite length of a suitable line 20, which can be a wire, rope, stranded cable or the like, wound thereon. The winch 12, in this example, is of conventional construction and is available from McCaffrey-Ruddock Tagline Corp. 2131 East 25th Street, Los Angeles, Cal. The structure of the winch 12, therefore, will not be further elaborated upon save to point out that the drum I4 is rotatably mounted upon the supporting tube I6 and that the rotational bias applied to the drum shaft 18 is conventionally arranged to apply a relatively uniform tension to the transmission line or cable 20 as it is paid off the drum 14 for example by movements of leads 46, 48 and mining machine 50, as described below.

Desirably, the supporting tube 16 is strengthened by a number of tie rods 22 secured laterally along their lengths to the outer surfaces of the tube 16 and at their ends to upper and lower end plates 24, 26 respectively The lateral securement of the tie rods 22 can be effected by welding, for example, while the end portions of the tie rods 22 can be threaded for the use of mounting nuts 28 for tensional adjustments in the usual manner.

In this arrangement, four such tie rods 22 are employed (FIG. 4) although it will be evident that differing numbers can be used. To each of the tie rods 22 is secured, as by welding, a leg structure including plate 30 and a standard such as spike 32. The spikes 32 likewise can be welded to their respective plates 30, and the lower ends, as viewed in the FIGS. desirably are pointed to aid in preventing dislodgement of the leads tender 10 during its use.

The supporting spikes 32 extend outwardly but adjacently of the drum 14 to support the tender 10 in its operating posi tion as shown but without interference with the normal rotation of the drum 14.

In this arrangement a pair of the leg plates, for example the plates 30a as better shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 can be effectively extended outwardly of the associated spikes 32a and can be apertured to accommodate a wheel mounted axle (not shown). Alternatively as shown, a pair of stub shafts 34 are secured to the extensions 33. respectively. Specifically, a pair of plate extensions 33 can be welded or otherwise secured to the outward surfaces of the spikes 32a for this purpose. A pair of wheels 36 are mounted on the stub shafts 34 and are sized such that in the upright or operating position of the tender 10 the wheels 36 do not quite touch the mine floor 38. This ensures that the entire weight of the tender 10 is distributed only to the four or other desired number of supporting spikes or standards 32. Thus, the wheels 36 do not interfere with the dislodgement preventing characteristics of the supporting legs 30-32. However, the wheeled structure 34 -36 endows the tender 10 with requisite portability. 30a location of the wheels 36 and their axle 34 relative to the balance of the tender I permits the tender to be tipped or angularly displaced about the axle 34 when it is desired to change the location of the tender 10. To facilitate tipping and moving the cable tender 10 a suitable handle 39 is mounted adjacent the upper end of the supporting tube 16. The handle 39 can be welded or otherwise secured to the adjacent tie rods 22a or support 16.

As better shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 a cable guide 40 is secured to the supporting structure of cable tender 10 and, in this example, to an adjacent pair of supporting spikes, for example the spikes 32b. The cable guide 40, which can be formed from a pair of spaced, arcuately shaped rods or the like permits the cable to be paid off and on in a generally aligned position relative to the drum 14. A stop 37 desirably is secured to the cable 20 so that the hooks and adjacent end portion of the cable 20 are always accessible.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4A, the front legs 'b can be extended, and a pair of straight guide rods 41 can be substituted for the arcuate rods 40. In this case, a pair of tubular rollers 43 are slipped respectively over the straight rods 41. The rollers 43 are thus rotatably mounted on the rods 41 and revolve as the cable 20' is paid out or in. Accordingly, frictional forces and fraying of the cable 20 are reduced.

The leads tender cable 20 desirably terminates in a hook 42 or other suitable fastening means for engagement with a double ended clamp 44 or similar leads securance means. The clamp 44, in this example, is secured at a predetermined position along electrical and water leads 46, 48, for an automatic mining machine or the like. As better shown in FIG. 1 the leads tender 10, when its cable 20 is thus secured to the machine leads 46, 48 is positioned so that the otherwise slack portions 52 of the leads 46. 48 are mounted at such angular disposition relative to the mining machine 50 that the machine 50 can be manipulated without backing over the leads 46. 48. The leads tensioning forces imparted by the biased drum l4 and tender cable 20 maintains the leads portions 52 in this desired disposition as the machine 50 is moved to and fro relative to mine face 54. The movements of the mining machine 50 and the resultant movement imparted to the leads portions 52 unwinds the drum 14 or permits the drum 14 to rewind, as the case may be, so that the leads portion 52 is always maintained in a proper attitude or disposition relative to the machine 50.

If desired, auxiliary lengths (not shown) of cable 20 can be secured to the cable hook 42 and the leads clamp 44 to extend the range of the cable tender l0 and to necessitate moving the cable tender 10 less often as the automatic mining machine 50 is advanced through the mine complex.

While the aforementioned biasing means associated with the drum shaft 18 is sufficient to withdraw the leads portion 52 as the mining machine 50 is reversed or backed away from the mine face 54 the tensioning forces thus applied to the leads portion 52 are usually not sufficient to displace the tender 10 owing to its inherent weight and the restraining character of its supporting legs 30-32 as described previously. Of course, the leg spikes 32 do not interfere with the portability of the cable tender 10 and in particular do not interfere with tipping the tender 10 about the wheel supported axle 34.

If desired, that portion of the electric and water leads 46, 48 or other machine leads, adjacent the cable tender 10 can be supported or restrained by passing over a pair of retaining hooks 56 secured to an adjacent pair of the leg plates 30 as better shown in FIG. I of the drawings. In addition, the lastdescribed arrangement supplies added holddown forces to that resulting from the inherent weight of the leads tender 10 and aids in preventing displacement of the tender during its operation.

Additional holddown means for leads tender 10' are illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings. Such additional holddown means are useful in applications where the tensioning forces applied to the leads portion 52' exceed the dislodgement resistance offered by the inherent weight of the tender 10'. One form of such auxiliary holddown means includes a jackscrew 58 mounted on supporting plate 60. The plate 60 desirably is bolted to tie rods 22'. The jackscrew 58 can be rotatably connected to a spiked or knurled bearing plate 62 for engagement with mine ceiling 64. Operation of the jackscrew 58 and its bearing engagement with the mine ceiling 64, of course, increase reactively the forces applied to the supporting spikes 66. In this example the supporting spikes 66 can be extended above leg plates 30', as indicated by reference characters 68, in order to perform the function of the leads hooks 56 of FIG. 1.

For mine ceilings 64 which are relatively higher than that shown in FIG. 4 or for use of the leads tender 10' in mines having a variety of ceiling heights a jack tube 70 can be secured to the winch supporting tube 16'. The jack tube 70 is arranged to receive the lower end, as viewed in FIG. 4, of a conventional jack 72 having a relatively wide range of adjustment. Screw, ratchet, and hydraulic jacks are available for this purpose. For example, a suitable jack for insertion into the jack tube 70 is sold under the name of Hy-jak and is available from Commercial Shearing & stamping Co., I775 Logan Avenue, Yong' stown Ohio 44505.

Alternatively, a conventional mine jack (not shown) can be mounted adjacent but apart from the tender 10 or 10 so as to engage both the floor and ceiling of the mine. The tender can then be secured to the jack when thus positioned by any suitable, temporary means. Various types of jacks, such as screw, ratchet, or hydraulic, can be employed.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that by novel leads tender 10 or 10' can be utilized under a number of widely varying conditions. When operated as described in detail above, the leads tender 10 or 10 is capable of maintaining requisite tautness in the normally slack portion 52 of the machine leads 46. 48 to permit untrammeled manipulation of the machine 50 and to maintain the leads portion 52 clear of the machine without the use of excess labor. While I have shown and described certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention and have illustrated presently preferred methods of practicing the same. it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

lclaim:

1. In combination with externally movable apparatus having external leads therefor, a leads tender comprising a rotatable drum, support means for rotatably and biasingly mounting said drum, a plurality of supporting legs. means for securing said legs to said support means, each of said legs terminating in anchor means extending outwardly and adjacently of said drum for engagement with an external supporting surface independently of said apparatus, a length of cable wound upon said drum, and means for attaching said cable to said external leads.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein each of said anchor means include pointed members positioned for preventing dislodgement of said support.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein guide means for said line are secured to an adjacent pair of said pointed members.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein wheel means are mounted on said legs and extend to points short of an engagement between said anchor means and a surface on which said tender is mounted.

5. The combination according to claim 2 wherein a pair of extensions are secured respectively to an adjacent pair of said pointed members and are protruded outwardly of the associated supporting legs, and a pair of wheels are rotatably mounted on said extensions, said wheels being sized to terminate short of the adjacent ends of said pointed members when the latter engage a surface to which said tender is anchored.

6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said support means include an elongated tubular structure. a pair of end plates are secured to the ends respectively of said structure and are extended outwardly thereof, a plurality of tie rods are secured between the outward extensions of said end plates, and said supporting legs are secured respectively to said tie rods.

7. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said tender is arranged for operation within a room having a ceil ing, said support is an elongated upstanding member at an anchored position of said tender, a jack'tube is secured to said support adjacent the lower end thereof and extends axially of said support member and jack means are inserted into said jack tube.

8. The combination according to claim 1 wherein retaining means for said leads are mounted on at least one of said sup' porting legs.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein each of said anchor means includes a pointed member for preventing dislodgement of said support, the other end of at least one of said pointed members projecting laterally of the associated supporting leg to provide said retaining means.

10. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said tender is arranged for operation with a room having a ceiling said support is an elongated upstanding member at an anchored position of said tender, and jack means are mounted on said support member for bearing engagement with said ceiling at said anchored position to clamp said tender between said ceiling and said supporting surface.

11. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said guide means include a pair of spaced rods each secured at its ends to said adjacent members respectively, and roller means are rotatably mounted on said rods, said cable being extended between said roller means. 

1. In combination with externally movable apparatus having external leads therefor, a leads tender comprising a rotatable drum, support means for rotatably and biasingly mounting said drum, a plurality of supporting legs, means for securing said legs to said support means, each of said legs terminating in anchor means extending outwardly and adjacently of said drum for engagement with an external supporting surface independently of said apparatus, a length of cable wound upon said drum, and means for attaching said cable to said external leads.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein each of said anchor means include pointed members positioned for preventing dislodgement of said support.
 3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein guide means for said line are secured to an adjacent pair of said pointed members.
 4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein wheel means are mounted on said legs and extend to points short of an engagement between said anchor means and a surface on which said tender is mounted.
 5. The combination according to claim 2 wherein a pair of extensions are secured respectively to an adjacent pair of said pointed members and are protruded outwardly of the associated supporting legs, and a pair of wheels are rotatably mounted on said extensions, said wheels being sized to terminate short of the adjacent ends of said pointed members when the latter engage a surface to which said tender is anchored.
 6. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said support means include an elongated tubular structure, a pair of end plates are secured to the ends respectively of said structure and are extended outwardly thereof, a plurality of tie rods are secured between the outward extensions of said end plAtes, and said supporting legs are secured respectively to said tie rods.
 7. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said tender is arranged for operation within a room having a ceiling, said support is an elongated upstanding member at an anchored position of said tender, a jack tube is secured to said support adjacent the lower end thereof and extends axially of said support member and jack means are inserted into said jack tube.
 8. The combination according to claim 1 wherein retaining means for said leads are mounted on at least one of said supporting legs.
 9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein each of said anchor means includes a pointed member for preventing dislodgement of said support, the other end of at least one of said pointed members projecting laterally of the associated supporting leg to provide said retaining means.
 10. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said tender is arranged for operation with a room having a ceiling said support is an elongated upstanding member at an anchored position of said tender, and jack means are mounted on said support member for bearing engagement with said ceiling at said anchored position to clamp said tender between said ceiling and said supporting surface.
 11. The combination according to claim 3 wherein said guide means include a pair of spaced rods each secured at its ends to said adjacent members respectively, and roller means are rotatably mounted on said rods, said cable being extended between said roller means. 